Thomas Camp Family
Virginia, North & South Carolina, and Georgia

Thomas Camp
b. 8 Feb 1717 Culpeper Co., VA
d. 8 Jan. 1798 Ireland (Island) Ford, NC
buried: Thomas Camp Cemetery on Horse Creek, Rutherford Co., N. C.

1m. c1737 Winifred Starling
b. 1720 Accomac Co. VA
d. 1761 Rutherford Co. NC (11 sons 1 dau.)
father: Richard Starling (b. Accomac Co., VA) mother: ?

2m. Margaret Carney c1762
b. 20 Jun 1744 ?Limerick, Ireland
d. 1824 Rutherford Co. NC
buried: Thomas Camp Cemetery on Horse Creek, Rutherford Co., N. C.

#information documented in by Col. Mann in his book of the Camp family.

1739 - Thomas married Winifred Starling, dau. of Richard Starling of Accomac Co., VA.

1776- There are conflicting opinions and documents related to Thomas Camp's support of the American Revolution.  He was originally listed as an an accepted patriot by the DAR about 1938 and the writing of early researchers and family lore has often promoted his heroic roll. More recently the DAR has refused membership based on this ancestor and some of his sons.  This does not diminish the story of the family in my eyes. In fact, if anything, it make this family more interesting to me.  It shows that the Revolution was a much more complicated and interesting story than a wholesale conversion of a populous to support the overthrow of the ruling government. 

"He was a patriot in North Carolina during the Revolution. He had five sons at the battle of Kings Mountain. He was born in Culpepper Co. VA; died in Ireland Ford NC. DAR heir #129342 also #128024"

He had 24 children with most living in South Carolina. He enlisted in the 4th Regiment on 14 Feb. 1776, N. A. 853
[Ancestral Rolls, DAR]

"Although of advanced age, Thomas Camp's two brothers served in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Camp had, along with five sons, participated in Battle of King's Mtn in the 4th Regiment. Enlisted on 14 Feb. 1776( NA 853)."

In a footnote Leah Townsend's book on the South Carolina Baptists, 1670-1805 says that "Rev. Joseph Camp (Kemp) was according to tradition from Maryland; settled in N. C. near the S. C. line in the neighborhood of the Buffalo Church, which he is said to have organized; he was arrested by Cornwallis to obtain information of Morgan's movements but was released; his knowledge of medicine was of great service to his community; an ho9nored and active member of Bethel Association from its beginning, he served as moderator in 1791, as member of various committees, and as writer of circular letters, though his education was limited; he was equally active in Broad River Association, and as supply and assistant to neighboring churches; he probably secured land in S. C. in 1779 and 1805, but emigrated to Kentucky in 1808." [Townsend p.139]

Mrs. Sara Sullivan Ervin, stated in the Camp family book by Mann:

" Thomas Camp, my great-grandfather and father of the above twenty-four (24) children, died in 1798. He first lived in the upper part of Virginia. Then moved to Halifax Co. in same state. Then to where Durham, N. C., now is and just before the revolutionary war moved to Rutherford County, N. C., and settled in Ireland Ford, on the French Broad River. He was a millwright by profession and built and owned the first mill erected in that section, he and his wife were staunch rebels, patriots, and aided the revolutionary, for which they were robbed and pillaged by the British army. Five of their sons participated in the battle of Kings Mountain. They both are buried in the burying ground of the old homestead to this day, owned by a descendant of their youngest son, Joshua. The descendants of the grand old man are to be found in every Southern state, and so far as can I find they number 5,000 or more. "
[Mrs. Sara Sullivan Ervin, Camp-Kemp Family Hist., Vol. II, p. 10]
Unfortunately some of the statements of Mrs. Sullivan were probably passing on more family lore than fact.  Her story of the Sullivan Volunteers was an apparent elaboration of facts passed of early relatives.   You can see the argument against this theory on this page.

"Thomas Camp,(1) and his second wife, Margaret Carney, who was born June 20th, 1744 (some say in Ireland) was of full blood Irish Descent. She died at the old homestead Island For, Rutherford Co., N. C. She was a very fine business woman and being much younger than her husband, looked after the affairs of her husband, during the Revolutionary War. They lived about ten miles down the river from Island Ford in the forks of Camp Creek (named after Thomas Camp (1) her husband, and Broad river. Thomas Camp had sons in both armies of the Revolution, and therefore did not take sides either way, but his wife Margaret Carney Camp was a staunch rebel, and on that account was robbed often by the British and Tories. Their home was situated in the half way ground between the British and Revolutionary soldiers. After the War was over they moved up to what is known as Ireland Ford, in Rutherford County, N. C. and made their final and last settlement. Here Thomas Camp (1) who was Mill-wright by profession, built a grist and saw mill. The mill no longer remains, but the small falls of the river, where the mill stood, can be pointed out and recognized. (I would like to have some photos of these sites if possible - EC) Just across these falls, on the opposite side of the river from where the mill stood, is the family cemetery of Thomas Camp(1) which was selected by him. Here is buried Thomas Camp (1) and his wife Margaret (Carney) Camp and many of his descendants. The author visited the cemetery in 1904 in company with John W. Camp a great, Great grandson of Thomas Camp and great grandson of Joshua Camp (2) the last and 24th child of Thomas Camp (1) and had about given up the hope, when one in the party, selected the grave and considered might be his, and after scraping away fully two inches of moss from the plain blue granite rough hewn stone, found the upper part of some rough letters. We worked diligently to raise this head-stone from its placement of 107 years ago and after cleaning the imbedded part of the stone was able to read very plainly the following:

T. CAMP BORN 1717 DIED 1798 Original tombstone of Thomas Camp family plot near Ireland or Island Ford, Rutherford Co., N. C. B+W photo courtesy of Russ Williams

The burial ground for Thomas Camp is "ten miles from the picturesque Island Ford on Broad river. .... A lone, weather beaten apple tree, crowning an eminence in a cotton field, marks the site of the original home while hared by is the rambling, comfortable farm house "Joshua's Home" built around the final dwelling of Thomas, Senior, of logs "veneered" with lumber. Between these and the creek, whose torrent rushing over a rocky bed once hummed with the busy wheel of the mill, in the midst of a large corn field, is the family burial bround, consisting of a dozen graves in a row. There lie the remains of our famous progenitor between his second wife, Margaret Carney Camp, and  son, Cranshaw or "Granger," who died unmarried. Neat headstones and a cedar designate the graves of Joshua and wife Nancy Gregory, a growth of aspen bushes and box ivy vine riot over the others. The present Owner of the land has plowed as near the head and foot stones as possible and burned cornstalks upon the grave at the head of which is a granite boulder marked "T. Camp, Born 1717, Died 1798." Nowithstanding, the deed specifies that one acre shall be reserved for burial purpioses, A rail fence once enclosed this acre but a freshet in the "Eighteen Forties" washed it away." [Mann pp. 17-18]


"In viewing this long neglected grave, and its headstone giving the birth and death of my great grandfather, my feelings cannot be expressed. This stone very plainly corroborated the dates of his birth and death as set down in his daughter Ruth's (2) bible, (which I possess). My mind fairly flew back over the history of this great and good man, and I yearned for a message from by great dead ancestor, giving me the key that would unlock the doors to the great past, so that my endeavor to unravel the past history of Thomas Camp (1) and learn from whence he came and from where , I shall never forget that day -- to be in speaking distance of my great grandfather, who is the great and great grand father of thousands of his descendants, and unable to hear nothing but the sighing of the winds among the trees, was a melancholy situation to be in. A thousand incidents crowded each other, in my mind in connection with the history of this grand old patriarch and his descendants, many of whom had won renown and fame in the Legislative halls of every southern (sic ?state) and on the battle fields of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, War between the States and in the Spanish American War. As the pages of the history will unfold, and thousands of descendants of this grand old man were men of note in civil and agricultural pursuits as this history and genealogy will unfold. This old cemetery is grown up all around in large trees. The writer has a letter written by John T. Camp (3), son of Joshua (4-sic should be 2) son of Thomas (1), in which he said that he owned this old country (sic -cemetery?) and would will it to his youngest descendant named Camp, to be willed by him in like maner, so that it should never pass into stranger's hands. This cemetery was reserved separate from the division of the 800 acres of old homestead, on the rise of the hill on the cemetery side of the river, can be pointed out the site of the first home built by Thomas Camp(1). The author was given a piece of the joist that was put in the last house out of the first house. It was no loss for this piece of joist to be sawed off and given to me. ....This last house bult by Thomas Camp(1), is standing today, after 110 years of storms has swept its sides, and is in fine state of preservation. The same material with which it was built, remains intact and bids fair to remain so for another 100 years. The only show of decay is of the exposed chimneys, where the cement used, shows a peeling off. The weather boarding, ceiling, shingles, doors, windows and front porch are all put together with wrought iron nails, made on a anvil and riveted. the doors and windows (no glass) as the picture shows, were built strong and hundreds of these nails were used on each, making them as stong as a jail structure. This was necessary, owing to the fact, that in that day, this house was on the border of civilization and in close vicinity to the Indians who infested all that section 125 years ago. Who can tell the piping times that have occurred within the walls of this old mansion? There is no one to do it correctly. We have much unwritten history that has been handed down that is awfully interesting to the descendants. Thomas Camp (1) like nearly all of his descendants after him, was a good liver and genial host and his home was sought by all the notables of that day, and many are the famous meetings under that roof of celebrated men of that day and section. His hospitality was of the old Virginia pattern learned at the knees of his mother in old Virginia."

"So far very little is known of his early life to manhood. At the age of 22 he married his first wife Winifred Starling, who was of Welch descent. They both lived in the lower eastern section of Virginia and it is reasonably supposed that his first wife died in that section of Virginia; since Thomas (1) married his second wife in Virginia and children were born by her in that state. The second wife, Margaret Carney Camp was of full blood Irish descent, who was born June 20th, 1744, and it is said was born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, and emigrating with her parents to Virginia, while she was young in years. She was only 18 years old when she married Thomas Camp (1) who was then 45 years old at the time and judging by his fame and past record, was still a young man, even if he did have 12 children to stare her in the face, She must have had great courage to marry Thomas Camp(1) must have been way above the average men of this day and generation, and a handsome man at that. It has been handed down through the older set of Camps, that he was man of powerful physique, aimable disposition, very religious, and a study worker, requisites in those days, which were like golden apples to fair sex. His oldest son (whose history follows ) Edmund Camp (2) was a chip from the old block, and like his father in many respects, and like his father he married the second time and strange to say, he married a sister of his father's seond wife, Elizabeth Carney, and their union was happy one and his descendants were almost equal to that his father, he having 22 sons and daughters by both marriages."

"All of the first 12 children of Thomas Camp (1) married in Virginia, some in Mecklenburg County and Nottaway County, as their individual history to follow, will show. As a rule they all had a profession, several were carpenters and builders and several, noted preachers in their day. It is known that they all immigrated westward into the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama and their constant trend has been westward, even into Texas, California, Tennessee, Kentucky and even Illinois and Iowa. Wherever they have gone, They were shining lights to civilization, prospered well and been a blessing to every community in which they located. It is estimated that the total number of Thomas Camp (1) descendants will be not less than five thousand, and perhaps more. It is surmised very correctly that the most of these sons emigrated before their father left Virginia and before, or about the time of his second marriaage to Margaret Carney. His first wife, as stated, was of Welch descent, a swell handed down. She was small of stature and likewise her sons were small in stature, but men of unconquerable will, brave as lions, and at the same time very religious as a rule. His second wife, Margaret Carney, was a woman of larger frame and likewise her sons, who did not know what fear was, but were cool, collected and honorable in all of their walks in life, and like their half brother, were very religious, and members of either the Baptist or Methodist church. It is said the Margaret Camp did not join the Baptist Church until she was a very old lady and beng a very large woman and almost helpless, it took four ministers to baptize her in the Broad river at Island Ford, N. C. and that she had to be baptized in her rocking chair. She was always a good woman and mother, and while she was not in the Church as a member until old age, she always attended church meetings and said that before she would be baptized, she must feel and know that she was a fit subject for the church. During the stirring times of the Revolutiionary War, she was very outspoken against the British and Tories. Her charcter for truth, honest and industry was transmitted to her sons, who developed into strong characters in the formation of society where ever they went. She outlived her husband, Thomas Camp (1) 26 years, dying in 1824, at the age of 84 years." [Mann. p. 13-17]

"Some references on the Camp family state that Thomas Camp lived at Ireland Ford' on Green River in Rutherford County, North Carolina. However, his last residence was at 'Island Ford' on Broad River in Rutherford County, North Carolina.

"The bridge on U. S. Route 221 between Chesnee, South Carolina and Rutherfordton, North Carolina over the Broad River bisects the island. The Broad River is approximateley one-half mile north of the North Carolina - South Carolina line at this point. The island is approximately one half acre in size in the middle of the river. The old road, long before the present road and bridge, crossed the river and island at this point hence the name 'Island Ford.' By the height of the water on the rocks on the island the early settlers could determine whether the river was fordable. " [Mann. p. 19]

"Revolutionary Army Accounts, Vol. IX, page 11, folio 3, North Carolina Archives, lists Thomas Kemp as receiving sum of money with interest. These records contain incomplete pay records of the Revolutionary period, denoting that some product or service. These records do NOT prove military service unless they carry this information, and many of them do not indicate for what purpose payment was made. These records do NOT give any personal information. Usually payment was for civil service, military service, or the sale of supplies to the army. " [Mann. p. 22]

page: 142   males (u-16)  (16+) females slaves
Thom Camp Sr 	      3    3   	   3      -
James Kemp  	      1    3       4      1

page: 137,  
Joseph Kemp           4    3       7      3
William  Camp         3    4       4      - 

page: 135
Daniel Camp           1    1        3     -   

page: 396,  Iredell Dist.
John Camp             1    4        3     - 

In the Name of God Amen
I Thomas Camp of Rutherford County of No-Carolina being Sick and weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing taht it is appointed for all men onst to Die Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to Say as Tuching Such Worldly Estate where with it has Pleased God to bless me in this Life I give Didmise & Dispose of the Same in the folowing maner and form First I give and Bequeth to Margret my Dearlly beloved wife all my Stock and household furniture (Excep a horse Colt that I gave to my Son Aaron and one heffer to my Daughter Ruth) and the Land that I live on She is to keep in Peaceable posesion as Long as she Lives for hur benefit and the benefit of the three youngest Sons till they become of age and at hur Decease if before they become of age then a reasonable a Lowance till they Should becom and when they becom of age & if not She is to Continue in persision till hur Decease then the hole of My Property to be Equally Divided Amoungst my Children as folows after giving to my Sons Edward John Thomas William & Josephe Nathen & Benjaman five Shillings starlin Each & to my Daughter Lusey Hearn the same & to (my Son Aaron(lined out)) my Daughter Ruth a feather Bead the rest of all my property to be Equally Diveded amoung my Last wifes Children viz, Cranshw James Daniel Lewis Stephen Aaron Unica Ruth George & Joshua I hereby utterly Disalow revok and Disanul all and Every other former will by me in any waise made rattifiong & Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Eighth Day of January iun the yeare of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Ninty Eight and I appoint Crashaw Camp and Daniel Camp my Executors to this my Last will and Testament

Signed Sealed Published  .  .  .   Thom Camp(Seal)
Pronounst & Dclelard
by the Sd Thomas Camp
as his Last
will and Testament
in the Presence of us
who in his Presence
& in the Presence of Each
other have hereunto
Subscribed our Names

John McKinney
David Patterson
Benjm. Hix

Thos Camp's
last Will and
Testament
Proved in open Ct.
April Term 1798

These are a few of several land records with Thomas Camp.

1779- Old First Register , Rutherford County, North Carolina.
No. 507 (Granted Nov. 2 , 1779). Thomas Camp claiming 200 acres of land in Tryon County on the south side of Main Broad River (?) hawkins shoal on said River including his own improvement. Januanry 2, 1779.

No. 508. (granted) Thomas Camp claiming 100 acres of land in Tryon County on the south side of Main Broad River above pools Brach including John Wilson's improvement. January 20, 1779.

1780- Orangeburg Dist., South Carolina
Deed Book JL, page 181. Dated March 21, 1780, recorded March 26, 1794. Christopher Hicks, Orangeburg District, South Carolina, to Thomas Camp of Rutherford County, North Carolina, for 80£ land on Sandy Run, a north branch of White Oak Creek in Rutherford County. Witnesses: Cranshaw Camp and Daniel Camp.

Deed Book 10-11, page 91. Dated April 12, 1795, recorded December 26, 1798.
Thomas Camp to William Womack, both of Rutherford County, North Carolina, for 20 lb. , 100 acres in Rutherford County on both sides of Obed Hill's Creek. mentions Elizabeth Armstrong's corner. Granted Thomas Camp November 28, 1792.
Witnesses: Isaac Safield, Daniel Webb, and William Smith.

1800 - South Carolina census. 

1800- "Buffalo Church, only a half mile south of the North Carolina line and about seven miles west of Blacksburg, S. C., was in its early years connected with the Fairforest group of churches.   James Fowler, a young licentiate of Fairforest, supplied the church occasionally in 1775-1776.  Rev. Joseph Camp is the only minister recorded before 1800, and as early as September, 1776, he is said to hve represented Buffalo Church at a meeting of delegates held at Fairforest (Congaree Association). These statements indicate that the congregation had been constitued a church before 1777, the date usually assigned, and had entered Congaree Association. Like most churches of the back country, Buffalo Church disappears from recorded history during the Revolution; it emerged in 1789 as a constituent member of Bethel Association. Rev. Joseph Camp had probably been the pastor during the whole period and continued to serve at least through 1800 and possibly several years longer. " [Townsend 139]

1810 - South Carolina census. 

1817 - Item from the Will of James Camp.

Item 1st.   I give and bequeth to my son Alphred a negro.
Item 2nd  I give to my daughter NarrowSissy a negro girl.

Item 3rd.  I give to my son George when he is of age one negro.
Item 4th.  I give my sone Langly one negro.
Item 5th.  I give to my daughter Harriet  one negro girl.
Item 6th.  I give to my two youngest sons James and William five hundred dollars each.
Item 7th I give to my beloved wife Sarah Camp, the balance of my negros, I also wish my beloved wife to sell my land in Virginia. 
I appoint my wife and James Young my Ex-
Witness my hand and seal this 28th day of Jan. 1817.
James Camp died in 1817-     [also identified as Box 21 pk 6, microfilm print copy unknown origin(probably SC) from the DAR library, WA DC.]

1820 - US Census,  South Carolina,

sources:

Ancestral Rolls, South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution, Compiled 1938 by Mrs E. T. Crawford, State Registrar.
Mann, Col. Robt. Neville and Catherine Creek-Mann, Camp-Kemp Family Hist., Vol. II, 1969
Landrum, Dr. L. B. O. . History of Spartanburg County, South Carolina 1900, reprinted 1954.
Townsend, Leah. South Carolina Baptists, 1670-1805. Florence, S. Co., 1935, reprinted Clearfield Co., Inc by Gen. Pub. co., Inc. Baltimore, Maryland, 1974, 1978.
Williams, Russ E., The Kemp, Turner, and Roberts Families on Little Silver Creek, Washington, Parish Louisiana. The Story of Three Pioneeer families of Early Louisiana, their Ancestors and Progeny., 1992. Monroe, LA., Williams Genealogical Pub., 514 Cole Ave, Monroe, LA 71203

Camp Asso. Bulletin reprints

Camp Index | Ancestor Chart #12  | S. C. During the Revolution
____________________________________________________________________________________________

All information and photos included within these pages was developed by the help of hundreds of researchers. The information here is for the express purpose of personal genealogical research and is freely offered as long as this site is listed as a source. It may not be included or used for any commercial purpose or included in any commercial site without the express permission of Elroy Christenson. Copyright Elroy Christenson 1998-2010.

web pages created by Elroy Christenson- elroy@next1000.com - last updated 8/10/10